Minister’s reluctant farewell

The Methodist minister for four churches on the Newark circuit was given a farewell evening at Balderton Methodist Church on Saturday.

The Rev Richard Hooton (56) has been the minister for Balderton, Collingham and Brough for 13 years and the minister for North Muskham for three. He is to retire on August 3.

Mr Hooton is also a chaplain at Newark Hospital and Beaumond House Community Hospice.

He said he had mixed feelings about his retirement because he enjoyed his job immensely.

During the evening members of the congregation spoke about their memories and presented him with gifts.

There will also be a Newark circuit farewell a week tomorrow, which past ministers, colleagues and friends from other denominations will attend.

Mr Hooton’s final united morning service at Collingham will take place on August 2 and there will be a songs of praise evening at Balderton Methodist Church that evening.

Mr Hooton was born in Leicester and worked for an engineering company for 26 years.

He completed two years of ministerial training and first became a minister in Ilkeston, where he remained for seven years before moving to the Newark circuit.

Mr Hooton said: “I just felt the calling to go into ministry.”

In his retirement Mr Hooton is to move to the Isle of Man with his wife, Mrs Annette Hooton (61) where he has been asked to look after one church on a part-time basis.

Their daughter, Mrs Becky Straw (32) lives on the Isle of Man with her husband and two children.

Mr Hooton also has a son, Mr Ian Hooton (36) of Ilkeston.